The Underappreciated Beauty of Nier’s Soundtrack
Via Square Enix
In 2010, Keiichi Okabe, Kakeru Ishihama, Keigo Hoashi, Takafumi Nishimura all created a daring soundtrack that remained unappreciated for just over a decade. It wasn’t until the recent Nier Replicant remaster that the rest of the gaming community began to recognize Nier’s somber beauty.
Nier’s main composer Okabe had to make a daring soundtrack for a daring game. The original game is a strange title that took chances with its gameplay mechanics and story elements; however, in the midst of all the chaos comes a stunning score that takes Nier to the next level.
Via Square Enix and Amazon
“Snow In Summer” starts the game with a chilling choir. Sung in a fictional language, the song sets the scene of a father and his daughter struggling in an apocalyptic landscape. They’re lacking in food, and the father must fight off the shades to survive. The choir lays the foundation of this haunting reality with shrill notes, and you truly feel alone as the choir is stand-alone with no other instrumentals to be heard. Then, as the shades appear, the pounding drum beats kick in, representing the direness of the situation. It’s a striking piece of music that establishes what players can expect from Nier. Harpyija below does a great job at covering this song with amazing vocals that enchant the listener with the song’s somber notes.
The song simply titled “Grandma” is a gorgeous piano-heavy song. The chords are played to perfection, complimented by a chilling performance by Emi Evans. The lyrics are unintelligible, but you can truly feel the emotion coming from her voice. It’s a tragic song, but Okobe makes stunning use of the impeccable piano with the inclusion of a marching drum. In the game, Kaine is a soldier who carries onward, despite a sad backstory, and “Grandma” is a perfect representation of her character.
“I always made sure to convey the tragic fates that the protagonist and characters are burdened with, so perhaps that came across as sounding melancholy” said Keiichi Okobe in a recent interview with NME. “Grandma” and other themes like Emil’s are true representations of this mantra by the composer.
Via Square Enix and USGamer
Yonah’s theme is further evidence of how the music and story come together. It reflects the tragic fate that she has to face day-by-day. In the game, she is sickened by the Black Scrawl, a debilitating illness that leaves her bed-ridden. Your goal as the protagonist is to find a way to save her. The song itself has a stirring melody that would leave anyone in tears during the game’s emotional scenes.
Despite the overall sadness of Nier’s soundtrack, there is some delight to be had. “Song of the Ancients” brings a welcoming sound formed by an acoustic guitar and another stunning performance by Emi Evans. Her voice portrays Devola as a kind soul, but in the chorus, there’s an element of concern. “Hills of Radiant Wind” is another track that feels upbeat. The singing, string elements, and heavy percussion push you forward as you explore the world. TPR gives a more melancholy version of this upbeat song with a wonderful performance on the piano and a perfectly-mixed take on the track.
The field themes also don’t disappoint. The metal clanks of “The Wretched Automatons” and synthesized voice-like sounds intertwine to create a unique track perfect for the factory-based level where it plays. Once again, the lyrics are of a completely unknown language, but they sound like they have importance because of the emotive execution of Emi’s voice.
Furthermore, the incredible thing about Okobe’s work on Nier is how flexible his songs can be. Without too many spoilers, Okobe flips the script as he turns this once melancholy track into a battle theme. Its epic tone combines the mechanical elements from other tracks like “The Wretched Automatons'' to create an incredible sound. The previously mentioned “Yonah” also has different tracks that the composer utilizes, and the piano and strings are separated to create different emotions. The strings are more effective at bringing the waterworks; however, the plucked versions of “Yonah” create a chirpier track as things begin to look up for the protagonist and his daughter. “Ashes of Dreams” is a version of the track that includes stirring vocals that would make any grown adult cry, and MilkyChan provided a gorgeous cover that highlights what she says is the “beautiful sadness” of the song. Just like Evans, she manages to convey the emotion of the game’s severe but stunning soundtrack into her performance.
Okobe continues to flip the script on Emil’s songs “Sacrifice” and “Karma.” “Sacrifice” is a slow, depressing track performed with a boy’s voice. The child’s voice is perfectly utilized as the character suffers a terrible fate, and despite the somberness of the song, it’s simply beautiful. “Karma” is an accelerated version of this track, and it explodes with an epic score of percussion that takes over the piece as a more heroic brass tone emerges. It’s simply incredible how Okobe can change up these songs so effectively to reflect the storyline of the game.
I could analyze the whole soundtrack, but to make it short, Nier’s soundtrack should be recognized for its brave and stunning contribution to the VGM community. Automata isn’t the only Nier game that deserves a spotlight!
CHRIS PENWELL
Chris Penwell is a writer and podcaster who loves to talk about video game music. His favorite soundtracks are from the Kingdom Hearts series, Celeste, Beyond Good & Evil, Gravity Rush, and Final Fantasy X. You can check out his hilarious gaming podcast Active Quest every Monday!
